Ventilator Round: Automatic Tube Compensation (ATC)

In the upcoming presentation, Dr. Mazen Kherallah will offer a comprehensive insight into Automatic Tube Compensation (ATC). This innovative tool compensates for the non-linear flow-dependent pressure drop across an endotracheal or tracheostomy tube during both inspiration and expiration. ATC, he will explain, is not a standalone ventilatory mode, but a versatile option that can be used in conjunction with all conventional ventilatory modes to mitigate the additional work of breathing related to tube usage.

Dr. Kherallah will underscore the significant advantages associated with ATC for patients who are tracheally intubated and breathing spontaneously. These benefits encompass a reduction in the work of breathing, the preservation of the patient's natural "noisy" breathing pattern, improved synchronization between patient and ventilator, and an enhanced level of respiratory comfort.

Interestingly, Dr. Kherallah will also address how the use of ATC alone - without additional ventilatory assistance - may provide a more accurate prediction of a patient's readiness for extubation during the final weaning phase from mechanical ventilation. He will highlight studies demonstrating ATC's effectiveness in patients with acute lung injury, where it successfully reduced the load on inspiratory muscles and boosted alveolar ventilation, all without negatively impacting cardiorespiratory function.

By sharing his extensive knowledge on ATC, Dr. Kherallah's aim for this presentation is to elucidate the working principles of ATC and its current standing in the realm of scientific discussion.

The ICU REACH Team